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The story of cordage (the catch-all name for rope of every description) has many twists and turns; but in the end, it all gets tied together into a neat bow.
Rope can be both a natural substance or a man-made material.
In its natural form, rope can be made from hide, hair and plant materials such as hemp, cotton, jute, sisal and flax. Man-made materials used in rope construction include nylon, polyethelyne, polypropylene and polyester.
ROPING THEM IN
Most army/navy retailers have a loyal customer base for rope products; retailers who serve a boating customer base, construction workers, emergency & survival customers and scouting organizations will do even better with cordage.
According to Sue Atwood of Atwood Rope (Canal Winchester, Ohio), basic rope is a sales basic for every army/navy retailer,
“Rope is a staple good - just keep the basics on the shelves,” she said.
Atwood advised retailers to always have stock on hand, especially in seasons that are most likely to experience natural calamities such as hurricanes, floods, tornados and other weather-related emergencies.
“Everyone needs rope for camping, work, marine applications, weather-related and other emergencies. When there is a sudden need, no retailer should have to tell a customer that they are at the end of their rope,” Atwood said.
The importance of always having rope available to meet customers’ needs is such that Atwood recommends stocking a good, medium quality utility rope that does the job at a fair price.
Rope for special needs, whether its decorative, niche use or non-traditional application can always be ordered and supplied on short notice.
“The best size rope to stock for everyday use is either 3/8” or 1/2” rope,” said Atwood. But she also mused that ecocomic considerations sometimes forces customers into buying smaller sizes.
Atwood sells rope in a dizzying variety of colors and patterns. Although it forces her to stock and maintain a large number of SKUs, the colors do have a following in her customer base.
“There are many retailers and their customers who need different colors for legitimate reasons. We try to make them as snazzy as possible,” she noted.